


Charging through the Air

by YourGirlThursday



Category: 12 Monkeys (TV)
Genre: 12 Monkeys Theme Week, Extended Scene, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-07
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-21 17:56:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3701367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourGirlThursday/pseuds/YourGirlThursday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max nearly weeps in relief when the fighting is over. Sure, Deacon escaped, but most of the West 7 was no more. He no longer had the advantage of numbers. Max is finally free to make her own choices. She no longer has to slaughter innocents on Deacon's orders. She no longer has to pretend that the murderous West 7 is her family.</p><p>(For Theme Week - Day 2: Extended scene from 1x04 Atari)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Charging through the Air

**Author's Note:**

> Max goes from outsider in Atari to team member in later episodes so this bridges that gap a little. 
> 
> Title is from "Opening: The New World" from Songs for a New World because I'm listening to that album and literally have zero idea what to name this.

Max nearly weeps in relief when the fighting is over. Sure, Deacon escaped, but most of the West 7 was no more. He no longer had the advantage of numbers. Max is finally free to make her own choices. She no longer has to slaughter innocents on Deacon's orders. She no longer has to pretend that the murderous West 7 is her family.

The last time she had felt this hopeful was when Cole and Ramse had arrived at camp. That hope had been torn down when they stole away in the middle of the night, leaving her feeling even more alone. Her dad had taken been ripped away from her, but her guys abandoned her with Deacon and the others.

And that hurt.

When Cole and Ramse left, it damn near killed Max. She literally had just told Cole that the West 7 wasn't her choice, wasn't her home. Before that he had told her that he didn't know what he would do without her. Then he had kissed her. It felt like the start of something really great until Cole ripped it all away from her.

Max became harder and stronger. She threw up even more walls to keep the others. She was so alone in the midst of the messed-up family she had inadvertently joined. Following the rules was the only thing she did. Staying just outside anyone's notice was her only intention. Survival was her only goal.

Seeing Cole again was hard. When he apologized, Max was a goner. She wanted so badly to hold onto that anger born of sadness she had harbored. She had forgiven him before she even recognized what she was doing. Freeing him meant giving herself a new way of life. She was willing to sacrifice her pride for the chance to get away from the West 7.

Her new home is full of so many possibilities. She saw the effects of the time machine firsthand. Max isn't sure she would've believed them if she hadn't witnessed Cole disappearing while he was right behind her. The details of their mission are still unclear, but Max assumes they'll tell her everything eventually.

Once the threat of the West 7 clears, the doctor flies into action. She asks a flurry of questions about what all was done to Cole. Max tries to answer as best she can.

Cole starts talking about how the drug made him see things. He keeps mentioning someone named Cassie. The way he says her name makes Max's stomach drop. She isn't ready to jump right back into something with Cole, but she thought it could happen after some time had passed. It was a possibility she hadn't outright turned down.

"I was the only person with him when he was drugged. That Cassie woman wasn't at the camp," Max calls out.

The doctor smiles wryly. "Mr. Cole visits Dr. Railly in 2015. I don't think she was actually there either."

Max tries to digest the information. Cole is in love with a woman from the past. It sounds so tragic and awful. A small, selfish part of Max is pleased that she will never have to watch them together though.

Cole makes eye contact with her. He clearly wants to make sure she's okay with this new piece of information. Max smiles at him, letting Cole know that she is (mostly) happy for him.

The doctor turns back to Cole and her team, blocking Max out. She feels useless just standing there watching. She wanders around the compound looking for something to do. Eventually she finds the medical bay. Max offers to help stitch up some of the wounded. It is the first time in a long while that she feels useful and safe. A strange kind of peace settles over her as she continues to help the soldiers.

Max definitely made the right choice.


End file.
